while several had as much as fifty thousand dollars'
worth.

The luckiest people in this little band were a Mr. and Mrs. Lippey, who
left New York in April, 1896.

Mrs. Lippey was the first woman to go over the trail to Klondike. She
went because she did not wish her husband to undertake the journey
alone, preferring to share his hardships with him.

They brought back sixty thousand dollars' worth of gold.

Another party has just reached Seattle, Wash., having come direct by
steamer from St. Michaels, Alaska.

In this party there were sixty-eight people, who brought back with them
one and one-half tons of gold. This is worth nearly a million dollars.

[Illustration: Alaskan Child and Dogsled]

The gold is found in dust and nuggets ranging in size from a hazelnut to
fine bird-shot.

It must not be supposed that this gold is lightly earned. Those who have
returned say that the hardships of the life are beyond description. Many
declare that no amount of gold could tempt them back, as beyond the
hard, rough life, the severe cold, and the constant labor, there is an
ever-present dread of starvation. It is difficult for any man to take in
sufficient food to last him through the long winter, and there is
hardly any possibility of obtaining more when the supplies run out.

A company has been formed to send provisions up into the district, and
if this is done the work will be rendered much easier.

The treasury of the United States has already begun to feel the benefit
of the Klondike gold discovery.

The San Francisco mint has received half a million dollars' worth of the
gold, and expects another half-million by the next steamer.

The Mint Bureau has been informed that Alaskan gold has been received at
several of the Pacific ports for shipment to the East, and the ton and a
half from Seattle is also on its way.

* * * * *

There has long been a movement on foot to limit the wearing of feathers
on hats.

So many charming birds are slaughtered to adorn the headgear of our
women folks, that it has been feared some of the songsters might become
extinct.

A law has, however, just been passed for their protection in
Massachusetts, which forbids the use of certain birds for millinery
purposes.

The petition begging that a bill of this character might be framed by
the State Senators was drawn up by United States Senator George F. Hoar.

The petition was supposed to come from the bi